Signs of successful frozen embryo transfer Precautions after frozen embryo transfer

Frozen embryo transfer is an important step in the IVF program. Many couples who are unable to conceive place all their hopes on IVF. So what are the signs of a successful frozen embryo transfer?

Light bleeding, abdominal pain, and backache – the earliest signs

After the transplant, if you find signs of slight bleeding (not menstrual red, it may be pink, brown or dark brown), then congratulations, this is a good sign, generally indicating that the embryo has successfully implanted and you may be pregnant. This is because when the embryo attaches to the uterine wall, it will stimulate and slightly damage the surrounding small capillaries, which will cause bleeding. In addition to slight bleeding, some test tube mothers will also feel slight abdominal cramps or lower back pain, which will last for several days. In fact, these are all signs of successful early embryo implantation. However, we must remind the majority of test tube mothers that if there is severe vaginal bleeding, accompanied by dizziness, fever, pain in the abdomen, neck, pelvis, etc., it must be taken seriously. This may be a symptom of ectopic pregnancy. The embryo did not implant in the uterus but ran to the fallopian tube to settle down. You should seek medical attention immediately.

Frequent urination - significantly increased number of trips to the bathroom

After the embryo successfully implants in the uterine wall, it will begin to secrete human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Under the stimulation of HCG hormone, the blood flow to the pelvis will become faster, which will put pressure on the bladder and increase urination. In addition, under the action of progesterone, the smooth muscle tension of the test tube mother's urinary system is not as good as before, the renal blood flow filtration increases, and the excretion function increases, which will make the test tube mother want to go to the toilet frequently.

Fatigue and drowsiness

After the embryo successfully implants, the level of progesterone in the body increases. Progesterone can help the fetus grow smoothly, but it will slow down the metabolism of the test tube mother and reduce her energy. Therefore, in the early stage of embryo implantation, test tube mothers are usually prone to fatigue and sleepiness, and will slowly return to normal around the fourth month of pregnancy.

Breast tenderness

After the embryo is successfully implanted, most test tube mothers will feel breast pain and tenderness. This is due to the stimulation of progesterone in the body, which causes the breast glands to begin to grow, allowing the breasts to retain more fluid in the later stages of pregnancy, so as to better produce breast milk and breastfeed the baby.

Nausea, vomiting, taste changes

After the embryo implants, the progesterone in the test tube mother's body increases. The change in hormones will reduce gastric acid secretion, reduce digestive enzyme activity, and prolong gastric emptying time, causing nausea, morning sickness, and changes in taste, and extreme sensitivity to certain tastes. These are typical pregnancy reactions. Some expectant mothers have this symptom throughout the pregnancy, while others will stop in the third or fourth month of pregnancy. Some experts also believe that this is because the fetus has no ability to resist external forces in the early stages of pregnancy, so morning sickness is used to express discomfort and remind the mother to protect herself.

“False” cold symptoms: cough, stuffy nose, sneezing

In many successful test tube cases, it was found that some test tube mothers would experience cold-like symptoms after embryo transfer, accompanied by nasal congestion. In fact, this symptom is called "test tube cold" in the industry, which also includes sneezing, coughing and other symptoms. This is caused by changes in hormone levels after embryo implantation. It is a good sign and generally represents successful embryo implantation. The various signs of embryo implantation only represent the possibility of pregnancy, and a blood test for pregnancy can finally confirm it. Experts believe that each test tube mother's pregnancy is individual, and signs of embryo implantation should vary from person to person, which means that some people may have 2-3 or even all of the above signs, while some people have no symptoms of implantation at all, but this does not mean that implantation has not been successful.

1. Rest in bed. Lie still for 48 hours after IVF transplantation, and try to avoid turning over or getting up. If you turn over and lie on your side, the angle must be less than 45 degrees.

2. Do not take a bath after surgery. Do not take a bath within 48 hours after surgery. It is better to take a shower after pregnancy, not a tub bath, to avoid infection.

3. Reduce exercise. Do not engage in physical labor, move things, lift heavy objects, and avoid strenuous exercise during pregnancy.

4. Pay attention to your diet. After surgery, you can increase your nutrition appropriately. You can eat more lean meat, fish, eggs and other protein-rich foods, as well as more vegetables and fruits. It is not advisable to eat raw, cold, spicy and stimulating foods.

5. Keep bowel movements smooth. Eat more fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables and fruits, to avoid constipation.

6. Prohibit sexual intercourse. Prohibit sexual intercourse to avoid inducing uterine contraction and affecting the implantation of the fertilized egg.

7. Stay relaxed. After embryo transfer, try to keep a calm mind. Providing the embryo with a quiet and relaxing environment will help it implant and grow.

8. Be careful not to catch a cold. Pay attention to weather changes, add or remove clothes appropriately, and try not to get sick to avoid affecting the development of the fertilized egg.

9. Observe physical changes. After the transplant, pay attention to observe whether there are obvious abdominal pain, bleeding and other symptoms. If you find obvious discomfort, seek medical attention in time.

Nine days after the sperm and egg are combined and implanted in the uterine cavity, the human chorionic gonadotropin level in the body increases significantly. At this time, you can use an early pregnancy test strip to test it. Both early pregnancy test strips and pregnancy test sticks detect the HCG value through urine. This method can only detect whether it exceeds the standard. Testing HCG through blood is a quantitative test with an accuracy rate of more than 99%. Therefore, doctors generally recommend going to the hospital for a blood test after transplantation. Not only is it safe, but it also avoids the mood of the whole family being affected by "false military intelligence" due to urine tests.

1. The first is to avoid multiple pregnancies. Although transplanting too many embryos can increase the success rate, it may also cause the risk of multiple pregnancies. The frozen embryo technology can reasonably select the number of embryos to be transplanted, thereby reducing the chance of multiple pregnancies.

2. The second is to increase the chance of transplantation. After the embryos are frozen, if the patient fails in the first transplant or the body does not meet the conditions for transplantation, the transplantation can be carried out after the body has been adjusted in the later stage. This can reserve the opportunity for embryo transplantation for the patient, and at the same time, there is no need to go through ovulation induction again, and it also avoids the pain of injections and the cost of treatment.

3. Another option is to suspend embryo transplantation. If some accidents occur during embryo transplantation, the embryos can be frozen first, and then revived and transplanted after a special period.

4. Finally, there is fertility insurance. Due to some medical reasons, some patients need to undergo oophorectomy, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The embryos can be frozen before embryo transplantation, and then the embryos can be resuscitated and transplanted when the disease is completely controlled or cured in the later stage.